Featured Project

Hunter Community Center

Residents of Hunter and the surrounding rural area have reason to celebrate. Volunteers completed the construction of a multi-purpose community center and had an official grand opening celebration in July 2009. The city received funding from the Kansas Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Kansas Small Towns Environment Program (KAN STEP) in spring 2007 to begin the construction process. The KAN STEP program is a self-help program for communities to address water, sewer, and public building needs through greater initiative and with fewer dollars. The program provides grant funds for construction materials and requires the use of volunteers to match CDBG funds and complete the work.

The new community center, located on First Street in downtown Hunter, contains space for the library, reception/meeting hall, and kitchen and community café. The café operates as a non-profit 501(c)3 named Hunter Economic Development, Inc. Although it is small, the café has a large following and provides a gathering spot as well as an economic boost for Hunter. Residents felt it was important to maintain its presence in the community. In addition, there was previously no space large enough or adequate enough for community gatherings. Hunter is a small community located in the southwest corner of Mitchell County in North Central Kansas and is somewhat isolated from the remainder of the county by virtue of its location. Because of the distance to other meeting sites or similar facilities, it was important for the community to have its own facility locally. Many

The building is 72.75’ x 87.5’ (6,365 square feet). The grant provided $291,551 for materials and professional services including architect, construction inspection and project administration fees. The city contributed another $296,000 in value through donated volunteer labor and donated equipment as well as a significant cash injection. Approximately 8,600 hours of volunteer time were counted toward the project. While many contributed to the successful completion of the project, the record month for volunteer activity occurred in July 2008 when 61 different individuals helped with the project.

The new facility has consolidated resources into one efficient entity in downtown Hunter and will meet the needs of the community for many years to come.